The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Learning on a .22 to move on to a 9 mm later?

Old Grump · November 28, 2012, 04:02 PM

Most of us that are serious shooters will recommend the 22 bolt action rifle and/or a single action revolver as first guns because they are simple to operate, easy to handle, more accurate out of the box than most people and a lot cheaper if you plan on getting a lot of trigger time. Everything you need to know about marksmanship can be learned with a 22 LR and you can shoot it anywhere from 3 yards to 100 yards accurately. By the time you get to that stage you will have learned the basics of grip, natural point of aim, breath control, sight control and trigger control and most importantly gun safety.

What you learn with the mouse guns will transfer over to the center fires and later the magnums. By then you will have a much better idea of what you can handle and what you want. I don't care if you are 4'6" and 80 pounds or 6'6" and a 300 pound power lifter. You need to crawl before you walk, walk before you run and run before you take a serious jump. The chest thumpers who insist you start out with X caliber and X model gun are only touting their own gun and their way of doing it because they espouse shortcuts and really don;t know any better.

Start small, go slow, keep at it and I will bet you most anything that in 2 years you will be out shooting the magnum only boys or the pistol only boys or the revolver only boys. There is no single right gun, right action, right caliber for everybody and for every situation but there is only one way to start.

Dos centavos from a dinosaur who still shoots 22 more than all other guns in my inventory.

November 28, 2012, 04:02 PM	#8
Old Grump Member in memoriam Join Date: April 9, 2009 Location: Blue River Wisconsin, in Posts: 3,144	Most of us that are serious shooters will recommend the 22 bolt action rifle and/or a single action revolver as first guns because they are simple to operate, easy to handle, more accurate out of the box than most people and a lot cheaper if you plan on getting a lot of trigger time. Everything you need to know about marksmanship can be learned with a 22 LR and you can shoot it anywhere from 3 yards to 100 yards accurately. By the time you get to that stage you will have learned the basics of grip, natural point of aim, breath control, sight control and trigger control and most importantly gun safety. What you learn with the mouse guns will transfer over to the center fires and later the magnums. By then you will have a much better idea of what you can handle and what you want. I don't care if you are 4'6" and 80 pounds or 6'6" and a 300 pound power lifter. You need to crawl before you walk, walk before you run and run before you take a serious jump. The chest thumpers who insist you start out with X caliber and X model gun are only touting their own gun and their way of doing it because they espouse shortcuts and really don;t know any better. Start small, go slow, keep at it and I will bet you most anything that in 2 years you will be out shooting the magnum only boys or the pistol only boys or the revolver only boys. There is no single right gun, right action, right caliber for everybody and for every situation but there is only one way to start. Dos centavos from a dinosaur who still shoots 22 more than all other guns in my inventory. __________________ Good intentions will always be pleaded for any assumption of power. The Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern will, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters. --Daniel Webster--